Ridgeview knocks out Nease

Nease falls in 4A playoffs, 24-15

ORANGE PARK -- The Ridgeview football team already wrested the District 5-4A crown away from Nease.

On Friday, Ridgeview shattered Nease's hopes of playing in its fourth straight championship game.

For the second time this season, Ridgeview stopped Nease. This time it was a 24-15 triumph that puts the Panthers (8-4) in the Class 4A regional finals for the first time in school history.

"It's always great to beat Nease," said Ridgeview quarterback Derek Hatcher, who threw for 169 yards. "They beat us 209-3 the last four years. To turn that around is unbelievable."

They did it by stopping Nease in crucial situations on defense and getting two fourth-quarter touchdown drives.

Although Ridgeview was ahead 10-0 after a quarter, Nease was within 17-15 with 3:21 to play in the game.

By the time Nease got the ball again, there was only 8 seconds on the clock, and it faced a nine-point deficit.

Damon Kelly gave Ridgeview what appeared to be a comfortable 17-7 lead with 3:28 to go on a 20-yard scoring run.

But Nease came right back. Starting at the 50 because of penalties, Tyler Weir hit Patrick Barker with a 50-yard bomb. Then Barker scored a two-point play to make it a two-point game.

Barker finished with seven catches for 112 yards and two scores.

Ridgeview was able to finally put Nease away when it converted on a third-and-5 from its own 25-yard line. Hatcher scrambled and found Bass for what became a 42-yard play. Two unsportsmanlike penalties on Nease pushed the ball down to the 7 a play later, and Nease was finished.

"I give them credit; they did a great job," Ridgeview coach Tom MacPherson said of Nease. "We made enough plays to win.

"Any time you're still playing (in the playoffs), it's great."

Ridgeview simply imposed its will at the start, scoring on the second play of the game.

Bass (three catches, 139 yards) took a quick pass from Hatcher, got a block at the line of scrimmage and then screamed down the field. He ran right through the safety and wasn't touched again for a 75-yard touchdown reception.

Michael Taylor added a 35-yard field goal just before the end of the first quarter, and then it was time for the Ridgeview defense to show off. Nease had the ball nearly the entire second quarter but ended up with no points.

On one possession, Nease had the ball for 6:18. The Panthers drove from their own 30-yard line down to the Ridgeview 2 but were stuffed four times.

On fourth-and-goal from the 2, Weir was denied on a naked bootleg as Ridgeview's Eugene Leckich drove him out of bounds for a 4-yard loss.

Then Nease moved it inside the 20 on the following possession only to have Demario Kohn pick off Weir in the end zone.

"We're just playing better physical football," MacPherson said. "It's so tremendous that we can stop people on defense."

For Nease, the season ends at its earliest point since 2003, the last time it did not make the playoffs. But Weir (204 yards passing) and running back Ryan Mickens (92 yards rushing) are set to return for a team that finished 7-4.